Humming Birds on the Fly, Quick Shots and Sundance!

Welcome to this week's Light Stalking community wrap!

Last week, we approached the very fabric of photographic image making by studying how to freeze time with crystal-clear perfection. Now, we'll delight our sight with quite the opposite recipe. So rather than fast exposure settings, what makes these shots distinct is the deliberate use of somewhat-slow shutter speeds to make things a bit more dynamic and interesting as well.

When purposely choosing slower shutter speeds, we aren't just picking up light; we're also sort of harvesting time itself. The intentional blur that results shouldn't be seen as a flaw, rather than an intention; and when it comes to techniques, panning is perhaps the most popular of them all — so let's cover it before the rest.

When attempting this technique, you need to be aware that this requires actually moving, but how? Smooth sideways tracking motion, where your camera follows a given subject is a great place to start. However, the charm happens when your motion synchronizes with it. The result? A sharp subject against a cool-looking abstract background; what a trick, you think?

Of course, this ain't no magic trick — you need to practice until you start setting things the way you want them. For it, begin with shutter speeds around 1/30th or 1/15th of a second. Then, track your subject in a steady fluid motion; almost like an elegant swing. Now, if you want things extra crispier, you can try using some sort of support for keeping things even steadier; tripods and monopods can become your best friends in no time!

Keeping up with our past challenge, where fast shutters dissect time, slow shutters blend it. Play around with different settings that match your subject's pace; for example:

1/15s ~ 1/60s: perfect for running figures, cyclists, or urban scenes
1/8s ~ 1s: ideal for moving water and traffic lights

Remember, as you slow down your shutter speed, aperture and ISO should be compensated. So you should consider closing down your aperture or reduce some ISO sensitivity to prevent overexposure. And as you already know, nailing all this in a single frame constitutes an overly-challenging task. Burst mode will help you capture the whole moment for you to decide on the best frame later!

Photo of the Week

I'm pretty sure many of us Light Stalkers would recognise how difficult it is to capture a humming bird on the fly. Now think about capturing two on the same frame in the most dynamic possible way. And top of that, one of the most refreshing examples of implied lines that I've seen in a while!

Congrats Pat, thanks for delighting and spoiling us with such wonderful imagery!

Weekly Photography Challenge Digest

Thanks again to Diane and Dahlia for pushing our creative boundaries one step forward every week!

My panning shots are in no way graceful and need lots of work. Meanwhile, I believe this implies speed and is graceful

They can dive pretty fast. And what’s more graceful then a vulture ??

For contributing, check out the original challenge post!

A Highlight on the Latest Activity at our Community

Rob got two Capuchin monkeys from a pack of about twentie:

Every now and again, Sundance can be captured posing; and quick-draw Robert knows that:

Diane enlightened us about this gorgeous-looking flowers; or as we now know, Ornithogalum:

And Auricula:

Assisted by his wife, Steve captured a beautiful looking arch in Pano mode with his iPhone:

Last but not least, Robert shared this groovy finding:

Mind figuring out what it might represent? Share your thoughts on the original post!

Don't forget to check the photo contest winners for Surrealism and Dreamscapes; and remember, this month's photo contest is now open for entries. The theme revolves on “the Essence of Movement“. Submit your photos for a chance to win $250 and please don't forget voting as well. Last but not least, keep an eye out for the Members Picks — the instructions are pretty straightforward:

Members reference what you might consider a five-star photo. Give a call out to the photographer and share their photo, even if it lies in the Shark Tank, and feel free to give a Critique on why it trips your Trigger. Be sure to mention the photographer and the Thread you saw it in.

And if you want to make the most of your LightStalking user account, make sure to check the latest posts. Also, don't forget to swim the Mobile Monday Challenge! Last but not least, Check out the current reading throwdown, it has some nice insights and recommendations!

We'd Love To Hear Your Thoughts

Our Feedback Forum is a fine place for all those people wanting to grow fast as photographers. Here, you'll get your work reviewed by well-intended photographers, but you'll also have the chance to comment on the work of others. We believe in the power of feedback, and here are the latest shots shared in the pool:

The Shark Tank is a great place to learn and to discuss, but please read the instructions in order to get a better experience. Share your comments, opinions and doubts on any or all of the images above. We will also be delighted to see some of your own images. Remember all comments are given to the photographs, not the photographers. Also, don't forget to participate in our upcoming challenge!